Present

Getting caught up in the possibilities of the future and regrets of the past are normal and usually take over the thought process on a daily basis. The best way to live a meaningful and positive life is to stay present daily and live in the moment. It may sound corny, but I find people who live in the present are truly happy with life. Most people spend their time looking ahead or thinking about the past, all the while they miss what is happening right now.

Find joy and be mindful in the daily tasks of life: making coffee, brushing your teeth, showering, or even cooking dinner. While most look at completing these tasks as routine and time consuming, you can live a full life by staying present during what most consider the mundane parts of life.

When cooking, feel the knife when cutting vegetables. When making coffee, try a French press and focus on each step as you get closer to the end result, and then enjoy each sip. Really taste it and think about what had to be done to allow you to drink that glorious cup of joe. It may take some mindful practice to stay present daily, but below are a few easy steps to help jumpstart your journey.

4 Simple Steps to Stay Present Daily

Listen:

Stay engaged in conversation and REALLY listen. Don’t be distracted by your phone, laptop, or the environment around you, it’ll still be there when you are done. I’ve been in plenty of conversations where the other party is clearly elsewhere in their mind, and it isn’t a great feeling. By listening and being attentive in conversation, you will no doubt learn something and your conversation partner will feel you care.

Pause:

Take moments during the day to pause and look around. The world moves fast and it’s easy to fall into the trap of keeping up and going full throttle. We are taught to finish a task and move on to whatever is next and then repeat. Pausing for brief moments during the day can help reset your mind and focus, and bring more awareness to what is happening.

Slow Down:

Similar to taking a pause, slowing down will help you realize life is pretty great. Think of what had to happen to even allow you to be here today, let alone you being healthy and able enough to be reading this post right now. Slow down when eating your lunch. Slow down when talking to your family. Slow down when driving (literally and figuratively). When you slow down you’ll actually be able to look around and see what other people are missing.

Smile:

It’s amazing what a smile can do to turn around someone’s day. And this isn’t only reserved for those who you smile at either. When you smile you are passing out a positive vibe and it can be felt with a dopamine hit or rush of positivity inside your own brain. Happiness is contagious and spreading a little joy will make you feel more in tune with your surroundings.

It’s not the situation; it’s how you react to it. In society today, we are quick to place blame on anyone and anything other than ourselves when things don’t go as planned. Life moves fast and we are generally not in control, except how we react to what comes at us. And that is exactly why I believe reaction is the key to happiness.

In your job or at home, you can only control your actions and reactions, not what others do, say, or think. And if you can accept that truth, you would be infinitely happier in your everyday life. Don’t like your job or boss, find a new one or new career. Don’t like how your friends view your opinions, find new friends to hang with. Don’t like the way you feel, change your habits. We as humans have choices and the ability to think and feel how we want, and this is a very powerful tool. However, harnessing and using that tool is something many people don’t take advantage of enough.

Reactions defining happiness is very apparent in the current political climate. Half the country is anti-Trump and against most everything he does and says, which can cause feelings of anger. If you fall into this camp I ask; why not turn the channel and remove the negativity from your view? Your negative reaction is directly affecting your key to happiness. Additionally, if a friend or family member brings up politics and it causes a negative feeling, react positively and remove yourself from the conversation. I don’t know about you, but I want to be happy and not angry.

Have you ever been cut off while driving your vehicle? I certainly have and I know I’ve unleashed some colorful language immediately following the incident. And was it useful in any way? Absolutely not. My reaction caused instant anger and probably ruined the remainder of my day, or at least the next couple hours. Even small reactions to situations can impact happiness.

One of the greatest examples of reaction impacting happiness is Viktor Frankl, the author of Man’s Search for Meaning. Frankl was a prisoner in the Auschwitz concentration camps during World War II and survived to tell his story. He chose to react and identify with a purpose to give him the best opportunity to survive and be happy long term. In his words, the meaning of life is found in every moment of living, and suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning.

Being present every day regardless of situation can make all the difference in you being truly happy. Every day will not go as planned. People will let you down. Bad things will happen to you and those you care about. In these times of heartache and frustration, your inner self will lead you to happiness. Embrace the challenges and find meaning in the struggle. Your reaction is the key to happiness.

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Disclaimer

We’re not medical professionals and we don’t claim to know it all. We are two people who have found success physically, mentally, and emotionally by focusing on stuff that DOES matter and getting rid of the junk that DOESN’T. Please contact your doctor before making any changes to your diet or exercise program. Thank you